Notable Speech qualifies for Breeders' Cup Mile with Sussex win

Notable Speech bounced back for Charlie Appleby with a convincing victory in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes, the highlight of the Goodwood Festival and an automatic qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Mile.

Shrugging off a disappointing run in the St James’s Palace Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, Notable Speech rediscovered the form that saw him capture the 2,000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket.

The 11-10 favorite Henry Longfellow and outsider Sonny Liston made the early running, but in the home straight Notable Speech was sitting quietly on their heels. Once the field reached the cutaway, William Buick’s mount quickened impressively toward the far rail and accelerated clear.

Runner-up Maljoom finished a length and a half behind, a neck ahead of French challenger Facteur Cheval, while Henry Longfellow, who finished nearly six lengths ahead of Notable Speech at Royal Ascot, was fourth.

“When you have an unbeaten  classic winner going into a St James’s Palace Stakes and you’re beaten the way we were, of course you walk away disappointed," Appleby said. "But I was happier to be beaten the way we were than to finish second or third and say we weren’t good enough. He just didn’t turn up, simple as that. The question will probably always be asked, and I will probably never have the answer to it, unfortunately.

“Coming into today, his preparation was faultless. He looked great, and pre-race we shaved a couple of kilos back off him again. Was that winning or losing? I don’t think so, to be honest. I think he is just a horse who turned up with his A-game again. He got a great trip round there."

Regarding what's next, Appleby said, “We haven’t really made a plan. … Of course we’d love to go to America. He’s learning week on week and maturing, so I wouldn’t rule it out of the equation.”